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(NoModL) G. V. BOUGHTON.

SEAL FOR FREIGHT CAR AND OTHER LOCKS. No. 340,758. Patented Apr. 27,1886.

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UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDIUS V. BOUG HTON, OF BUFFALO, NEIV YORK.

SEAL FOR FREIGHT-CAR AND OTHER LOCKS.

EPEQIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,758, dated April 27,1886.

Application filed November 525, 1885. Serial No. 183,947. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLAUDIUS V. BOUGH- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New ,York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Seals for FreightOar and other Locks; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,- such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved form of seal for freight-cars &c., which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the application of my improved seal to the lock of a freight-car door. Fig. 2 is a separate view of my improved seal, showing the seal-wire unattached. Fig. 3 is a view showing the ends of the seal-wire attached and the seal in position to be compressed thereon. Fig. 4. shows a longitudinal central section of the seal having the attached ends of the seal-wire therein. Fig. 5 shows the seal after compression, and Fig. 6 is an edge view of the compressed seal.

In the drawings, a is asegmental portion of a freight-car door, and a is a similar portion of the side wall of the car.

b is the hasp, secured to the door by the staple Z1,- and c is the staple secured to the portion a, and adapted for engagement with the hasp b.

d is the padlock, which secures the hasp to the staple.

My improved seal, to be used in connection with the lock just described, is constructed and arranged as follows: E is alength of wire having at one end the loop E, formed by twisting the end of the wire back upon itself. At the other end of the wire E is the hook or turn E and E is a twist in the wire located a short distance back of the hook E. In place of the twist E the wire could be slightly raised. f is the seal, constructed, preferably,of lead and of cylindrical form, having theendfentirely open and at the other end the contracted opening f which is of sufficient diameter to just allow the wire Eto pass loosely through. When the seal just describedis in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings; it is free to be moved back andforth thereon within the limits of the hook E and twist E", but cannot accidentally escape therefrom.

While I preferably make my hollow seal of elongated cylindrical form, it might be made triangular, square, or other similar configuration, so that it can be easily slid along the wire to envelop the united ends. The construction just described is adapted for application to the freight-car look as follows: One end of the wire E is passed through the slot b of the hasp b, the staple c, and the padlock d, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Then the hook E of the wire E is engaged with the loop E, and in such position the cylindrical seal f is pushed over the united ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. WVhen the parts E, E and f are thus arranged, they are placed between the jaws ofa pair of pinchers or other suitableinstrument, and the lead seal is compressed until it assumes the fiat shape shown in Figs. 1 and 5. When the seal f is thus compressed, the united hook and loop of the wire are completely embedded in the lead seal, and cannot possibly be separated or withdrawn therefrom without such a-complete mutilation of the seal as to render it impossible to restore the seal to its normal flattened condition. In forming the disk-shaped seal now in general use it presents a burr centrally arranged around its periphery. The presence of this burr renders it possible to cut the seal upon theline of the burr, loosen and remove the wire, and restore the seal so nearly to its normal shape as to escape detection from acasual inspection of the seal. Vith my improved construction such tampering with the seal is practically impossible; but as an additional safeguard I prefer to, so construct my pinchers that a milled edge, f, (see Fig. 6,) will be left upon both sides of my seal after the compression is complete.

In place of the loop E and hook E two hooks could be employed, the object being simply to effect a temporary union of the ends of the wire until the hollow seal can be placed over the same and there compressed.

It is apparent that my improved seal is adapted for other uses than that of sealing a freight-car lock-such as mail-bags, safetyvalves, 850.

I claim-' 1. A seal for freight-car locks, 850., consisting of a wire having its two ends adapted for union one with the other, and a hollow cylindrical seal loosely arranged upon the wire, and adapted to be pushed overand envelop such united ends and be compressed thereon, substantially as shown and described.

2. A seal for freight-car locks, consisting of the wire E, having the loop E and hook E at its ends, and the hollow cylindrical seal f, loosely arranged thereon, and adapted to envelop the ends E E after their union and be compressed thereon, substantially as shown and described.

3. A seal for freight-car locks,consisting of 

